Millions of people in East Africa are on the brink of starvation and need aid urgently. The biggest killer is delay.​

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To demonstrate this in a disruptive and engaging way, we’re bringing our tagline ‘Don’t Delay. Donate.’ to life. Here in the UK, we’re used to our lives running relatively smoothly and often find even the most minor of delays annoying. We’re hoping to tap into this emotion – compelling people to empathise with those who really cannot wait, and ultimately donate.​

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We’d like to do this by ‘delaying’ the start of events, meetings, conferences, school assemblies, religious gatherings, shows, sports fixtures and journeys, as well as at the beginning of online content, movies, TV programmes, radio broadcasts or even traditional print. ​

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During these ‘delays’, we’d like audiences to consider the plight of the many people of East Africa suffering from severe hunger at that very moment and donate to the DEC so our vital work can begin.

We are looking to you to help spread the message and amplify the appeal, bringing our idea to life in any way you choose.​

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You can help by driving people to find out more about the crisis on our website, or donate through any of the mechanisms below. For context, see what amounts donated can provide for those who most need it.​

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£25 could provide a month’s supply of life–saving peanut paste to a malnourished child.​

£60 could provide clean drinking water for two families for a month.​

£100 could provide supplies to a clinic treating severely malnourished children for a week.​

Hunger on a massive scale is looming across East Africa. If we don’t act now, it will get much worse.​

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Drought and conflict have left 16 million people on the brink of starvation and in urgent need of food, water and medical treatment. People are already dying in South Sudan and Somalia. In Kenya, the government has declared a national emergency and Ethiopia is battling a new wave of drought, following the strongest El Nino on record. Women, children and older people are suffering the most; more than 800,000 children under five are severely malnourished. Without immediate treatment, they are at risk of starving to death. ​

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DEC member charities are already delivering life–saving assistance in all affected countries. But, they need more money, and importantly, advocacy to help reduce the scale and severity of the crisis. After the 2011 Somalia famine – when funding was too slow to catch up – the international community aid “never again”. We can’t afford to not do everything we can. Don’t delay. Donate.